Yoko Ono joined a load of Lennon fans in New York's Strawberry Fields last night to mark the 25th anniversary of the late Beatle's death. They couldn't watch the documentary all about his killer, Mark Chapman, of course, because you don't get Channel 4 in New York. Plus, of course, Ono and other member's of Lennon's family had criticised the TV network for showing the show, which included recordings of interviews with Chapman, on the actual anniversary of the Beatle's death. Not that said documentary portrayed Chapman in a particularly sympathetic light, despite analysing the psychological problems that led to him shooting the Beatle he had once adored.
Similar gatherings to that at New York's Strawberry Fields took place elsewhere in the world. In Liverpool 1000 hand written messages to Lennon were attached to balloons and released into the air. Meanwhile at the Abbey Road studios in London Paul Weller, Jamie Cullum, Badly Drawn Boy, Sugababes and Katie Melua all took part in a tribute concert broadcast on BBC Radio 2 and on American's Sirius Satellite Radio.